In recent years, the forms in which hair care products are available has expanded tremendously. In large part, this is due to continuous consumer demand for new products which perform not just one, but several benefits to the hair simultaneously, while also being pleasant to use. Providing such products can be a challenge to the industry, as when additional functions are added to a product, there is the increased potential for the interaction of the various components to interfere with each other's functions, thereby possibly affecting the performance of the product as a whole.
Among the characteristics most frequently desired by consumers in a hair care product are the ability to hold or manage the hair, while also providing conditioning to the hair. It is also preferred that the product be easy and pleasant to apply. There are of course a large number of different hair styling compounds available which alone will provide adequate hold to the hair upon application; these are most commonly cationic polymers. However, the addition of a conditioning agent, or in fact, any components other than the aqueous base, can reduce or plasticize the hold, thereby deleteriously affecting a main function of the product. Moreover, many conditioning agents also tend to be irritating, further detracting from the appeal of the overall product to the consumer.
The vehicle in which the functional components are applied is also a factor in the consumer's acceptance of a product. Styling products capable of providing a substantial amount of hold have traditionally been lotions or gels; however, many lotions can be runny and difficult to control when applied, and gels, although more controllable by the user, frequently provide a heavy, stiff feeling to the hair. Both types of products can also be sticky and unpleasant to the touch. Perhaps more favored today is a foaming mousse-type product, which is perceived as light, gentle, and easy to control on application to the hair. However, aerosol foams have fallen into great public disfavor, due to the potentially harmful effect of the propellants used. There are now available a variety of non-aerosol pumps which, in combination with the proper composition, can yield a foamy product without the use of environmentally harmful propellants. However, obtaining the foam in the product necessitates the use of one or more foaming agents, which can not only interfere with the holding properties of the styling polymer, but also can cause considerable irritation.
It is clear, then, that a need continues to be felt for a multipurpose hair styling product which effectively combines control, conditioning and ease of application in a single composition, substantially without any irritation. The present invention now provides a product with such a unique combination of properties.